The Mandalorian faces its final stretch. There is barely one episode left for the series starring Pedro Pascal to conclude Season 3, and yet everything is up in the air. In 3×07 we saw how the Mandalorians returned to Mandalore to take back what belongs to them, but everything goes wrong when the Moff Gideon sets a trap for them and kidnaps Din Djarin.
With this cliffhanger and the sacrifice of Paz Viszla we arrive at the final episode to be released next Wednesday. However, not only the Moff Gideon is expected, but there is another hidden threat referred to in the previous chapter that could change everything: Grand Admiral Thrawn.
A great new Star Wars villain
In the penultimate chapter of the season, the Shadow Council is revealed, in which members of the Empire meet through their holograms to carry out their plans against the New Republic. Among them we see several known, but there is one who should be and does not appear: Grand Admiral Thrawn.
“The return of Grand Admiral Thrawn will herald the revival of our army,” Captain Pellaeon explains during the meeting. But Moff Gideon recriminates his absence, making it clear that he wants to reclaim his place: “Captain Pellaeon, you always speak with great authority. And yet I see, once again, that Grand Admiral Thrawn is not present in your delegation. It is time for us to look for new leadership.”
But who is Thrawn and why is he so important to Star Wars?
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Ahsoka Tano’s great rival
Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of the most iconic Star Wars characters, even if he has yet to appear in live action. This skilled strategist and military leader of the Chiss race is known for his cunning and superior tactical skills, as well as his relentless determination to achieve victory under any circumstances.
Thrawn first appeared in Timothy Zahn’s novel Heir to the Empire, published in 1991 as the first installment of the Thrawn trilogy. Since then, the character has appeared in numerous Star Wars novels and comics, as well as Disney’s Star Wars Rebels animated series.
In Star Wars Rebels, Thrawn is the main antagonist in the third and fourth seasons of the series. He is portrayed as an impeccable strategist and a formidable foe for the Rebels. With his brilliant mind and deep knowledge of his enemies’ culture and history, Thrawn becomes a fearsome force that the Rebels have difficulty dealing with.
The interpretation of Thrawn in Star Wars Rebels is faithful to that of the character in the novels, but benefits from the visual and sound aspect of the animated series. The voice of Lars Mikkelsen, who lends his voice to Thrawn, is impressive and perfectly conveys the character’s determination and cunning.
During the Star Wars Celebration that took place recently, it was confirmed that Grand Admiral Thrawn will be the main villain of Ahsoka, the upcoming Star Wars series for Disney Plus. In addition, Lars Mikkelsen himself, brother of Mads Mikkelsen, will be reprising his role as the character.
Thus, considering that there is barely one episode left in the third season of The Mandalorian and that we know that everything will eventually connect in a movie to be directed by Dave Filoni, it would not be surprising if Thrawn appears for the first time to make way for Ahsoka.
Could Grand Admiral Thrawn be the replacement for Moff Gideon as the Mandalorians’ new villain? Certainly, everything seems to indicate that he will be a much bigger headache for Din Djarin and company than the character played by Giancarlo Esposito has been so far.
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